Illuminated show case



July 28, 1931. GOSSART 1,816,524

ILLUMINATED SHOW CASE Filed Dec. 6. 1929 mmeys Patented July 28, 1931UNITED STATES FIRMIN GOSSART, OF PARIS; FRANCE ILLUMINATED snow oasnApplication filed December 6, 15129, Serial No. 412,192, and in GreatBritainQSeptember 27, 1929.

The present invention relates to show cases of the illuminated type andhas particular reference to an illuminated show case of improvedconstruction and operation, its pri- 5 'mary object being to provide ashow case utilizable as a box sign while giving the onlookers arealistic illuminated representation of transpart or translucentarticles such as bottle, fiagons, jars, tumblers, drinking re glasses orsimilar vessels containing liquids or other transparent or translucentfood stuffs or commodities.

A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminated'show caseadapted to display transparent or translucent vessels containingtransparent or translucent food stuifs or commodities while alsodisplaying the words, signs, trademarks or like matter having referenceto such food stuffs or com- Fif) modities so as to ensure a highly'eflicient advertising effect. 7 i I A still further object of theinvention rs to provide an illuminated show case of simple, rugged,cheap and portable construction for use either indoors for instance in ashop Window or outdoors for instance as a box sign overhanging a streetpavement.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two practical embodiments of theinvention, the

derstood as illustrative only, and not as delining the limits ofthe'invention.

Fig. 1 is a front elevationof the showcase represented as adapted todisplay a tumbler full of soda, a part of the foam overflowing the upperedge of the tumbler, and the pertions of the glazed front panel aboutthe tumbler representation being translucent or part constructionstherein. shown having to be 'unto have been removed or broken, away forillustrating the inner structure in a clearer way. 7

' Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showlng a modification of therealistic representation,

the portions of the glazed front panel bearing hatchings beingtranslucent ,or partly opaque while the remaining portion istransparent. f

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 ofFig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows. Y

vertising matier such as words, sentences,

mottos, signs, a trade-mark, etcl (represented, diagrammatically by themere word Soda). Inside the case made for example of wood, metal oranother opaque substance are mounted at right angles-to eachother insockets 4c ofconventional shape connected to a suitable electric sourcetWo electric bulbs 5 adapted to illuminate "said advertising matter soas to render it clearly visible from without, for example by an onlookeror passer-by.

Laterally of the space occupied the advertising matter there is paintedor otherwise delineated on the glazed front panel 3,

conveniently on its inner surface 'to be weath proof, the outline orrepresentation 6 of a J tumbler full of soda, the latter being shownoverflowing the upper edge of the tumbler as at 6. Inside the show caseand at a posi tion registering with the tumbler represen.

.tation 6 is fixedly and if required removably held by means of bracketsscrewed or otherwise secured to the side wall 8 of the case a curvedor'arched background or rear member 9 having a bright orreflectingsurface, conveniently of such a color or tint corresponding tothat of soda as contained in the tumbler and as advertised on the, righthand portion of the glazed front panel 3 of the showcase.Thelongitudinal edges of this with the longitudinal border lines of thetumbler representation 6.

At a small distance above the background "member 9 and opposite thecurved channel or gap 10 formed between the latter and the glazed.:front panel 3 of the case is mounted in a socket 11 of usual shapeconnected to the aforesaid electric source an electric bulb 12. The sidewall of this bulb remote from the channel 10 is advantageouslymade re.-fleeting, for instance silvered, for concentrating the light beam towardsaid channel or gap.

In order to enhance the displaying effect, the lowerpart of therepresentation 6 of the tumbler is shaded as at 6 to make it look morelike a perfectly shaped inverted frustum,said part 6 being translucentor semiopaque, While the upper part of the said representation is sopainted as at 6 as to simulate the upper layer of soda foam, asaforesaid. v

The background member 9 is conveniently made of metal, thick cardboardor other stiff material and itsreflecting surface is pro duced bycoating said sheet on the concave or display sidewith a bright layer ofpaint or varnish of known composition, said paint or varnish being ofsucha color, for example by the addition of known dyestuffs, as to givethe required effect of soda as seen through the tumber indicated at 6,Ifr-e- .quired, the layer of paint or varnish may be applied upon anunderlying metal foil. The reflecting surface of the background membermay also be built up of a facing of fcfellophane and a'backing ofmetallized stu r v Moreover in order to further enhance the displayingeffect, the reflecting background may hear such matter as to imitatemarks formed in the glass or labels stuck thereon, for instance printedor painted matter imitating such labels or the very labels if they aresuiiiciently transparent or translucent or else articles contained inthevessel as for example in the case of the representation of abottlecontaining pickles.

. Reference being now had to the modification represented in Figs. 5 and6, the structure of the show case 1 open at its bottomendissubstantially similar except that it contains only one electricbulb 5 instead of two as inthe first embodiment and that instead of atumbler being displayed, there is painted or otherwise designed on theglazed front panel 3 of the box an ordinary drinking glass 13 partlyfilled with such a drink as for example cherry juice, the representationbeing completed by the picture of a straw suction pipe 14 and of anice-pail 15 fitted with ferrules 16 both painted on the glazed panel.Advertising matter (diagrammatically] shown by the 'mere words Cherryjuice) may also be provided on the ri ht hand portion of the glazedfront panel 8. In this embodiment, the background member 9 merelycorresponds in size to the transparent portion of the glass representa-1 tion i. e. the part of the glass 13 actually containing the cherryjuice.

Numerous other embodiments of the invention might of course be devisedwithout departing from the spirit thereof and Without sacrificing itsadvantages. Thus for example the show case'instead of having suspensionlugs might be supported by a suitable stand of known construction.Moreover any vessel. or container otherthan a tumbler or a drinkingglass might be. repre-' sented on the glazed side or sides of theshowcase, it being understood that two opposite panels of he case might besimilarly glazed with a view to obtaining a double display to beperceived passers-by walking-in two opposite directions. i 7

What I claim is:

1. An illuminated show case comprising, in

combination, an opaque box havinga translucent side a portion of whichis transparent, the outline of this transparent portion delineating apartial representation of a transparent commodity-containing vessel, an

opaque arched background member supported inside the box opposite thevessel representation so as to inwardly bulge therefrom and having areflecting concave surface so patterned and tinted as to simulate thecommodity, and a source of light located in the box in alignment withthe gap between the background member and the vessel representation.

2. An illuminated show case comprising, in

combination, anopaque box having a glazed the gap between the backgroundmember and V the vessel representation.

3. An illuminated show case comprising, in combination, an opaque boxhaving a glazed translucent side bearing advertising matter, a portionof this side being transparent, the

outline of this transparent portion deiine- V ating a partialrepresentation of a transparent commodity-containing vessel and beingbordered by an opaque selvage, an opaque arched background member supportedin the box-opposite the vessel representation so as to inwardly bulgetherefrom and having a remember and the vessel representation, and refleeting concave surface so patterned and fiectlng means throwing thelight beam from tinted as to simulate the commodity and made said sourcethrough said gap.

up of a layer of paint applied upon an underlying metal foil and asource of light located in the box in alignment with the gap between thebackground member and the vessel representation.

4. An illuminated show case comprising, in combination, an opaque boxhaving a glazed translucent side bearing advertising matter, a portionof this side being transparent, the outline of this transparent portiondelineating a partial representation of a transparentcommodity-containing vessel and being bordered by an opaque selvage, anopaque arched background member supported in the box opposite the vesselrepresentation so as to inwardly bulge therefrom and having a.refleetingconcave surface sopatterned and tinted as to simulate the commodity andmade up of a facing of cellophane and a backing of metallized materialand a source of light located in the box in alignment with the gapbetween the background member and the vessel representation.

5. An illuminated show case comprising, in combination, a rectangularopaque box having at least one glazed transparent side bearingadvertising matter a portion of this side being transparent, the outlineof this transparent portion delineating a partial representation of atranslucent commodity-containing vessel and being bordered by an opaqueselvage, a source of electric light located inside the box at one sideof the vessel representation, and cooperating with a portion of saidadvertising matter an opaque arched background member supported in thebox opposite the vessel representation so as to inwardly bulge therefromand having a reflecting concave surface so patterned and tinted as tosimulate the commodity, a second source of electric light located in thebox in alignment with the gap between the background member and thevessel representation, and reflecting means throwing the beam of lightfrom said latter source through said gap;

6. An illuminated showcase comprising, in combination, a rectangularopaque box open at one end and having at least one glazed translucentside bearing advertising matter, a portion of this side beingtransparent and delineating the representation of a portion of acommodity-containing vessel, the rest of said vessel being designed onthe glazed panel, an opaque arched background member supported in thebox opposite the transparent portion of the vessel representation so asto inwardly bulge therefrom and having a reflecting concave surface sopatterned and tinted as to simulate the commodity, a source of electriclight located in the box in alignment with the gap between thebackground

